Straight Guys Think, Feel, and Vote, Too!

So this guy sends me this late last night, asking if I'd post it. And while I don't often do "guest" posts, I like this so much. It's important for all of us to realize that it's not just gay people who care about equal civil rights for gay people!

MY BEST FRIEND’S GAY.

To all the straight dudes like me out there:

It’s the day before the election.

By the end of tomorrow, my best friend will know whether or not he can be legally married in the state of California. And as the polls stand right now, it looks like he won’t be able to do that. And that bums me out, brother.

If you told me when I was growing up that my best friend would be gay I’d have laughed in your face, maybe even punched you in it. I grew up in a rural area of Maryland filled with mullets, acid wash jeans and the good ole boys that wore them both. Hell, I was one of ‘em… part of me still is. I went to Catholic school, a private university and didn’t know an openly gay person until I moved to Los Angeles.

I played “smear the queer”, called my friends “faggots” and if someone did something silly or stupid, I’d call him “gay”. I simply had no frame of reference. Perhaps if you are reading this, you don’t either and I can appeal to you in these final hours…

I know every single one of you (whether you are man enough to admit it or not) hopes to find your perfect partner… dare I say soulmate? Personally, I have visions of finding “love at first sight”, going through the first stages of love where I can’t get enough of this beautiful woman, falling madly in love with her, marrying and living happily ever after where we both die peacefully in our sleep holding hands.

Guess what? We aren’t the only ones that have those feelings. Gay men and women have the exact same dreams that we do, because that is what PEOPLE do… dream. We dream of what we want to be when we grow up, the kind of house we want to live in, where we are going to vacation and what our perfect relationship looks like. And just like all of us straight guys where we prefer blondes over brunettes over redheads, there are some people that prefer others of the same sex. That’s really all there is to it. Believe it or not, they aren’t doing it to spite you.

I know that some of you who oppose same sex marriage want to make this into a huge deal where the door will be open for people to marry rabbits and aliens and anything else you can imagine, but the simple fact of the matter is, that argument doesn’t work.

My gay best friend doesn’t want to marry a rabbit any more than I do. Or an alien for that matter. (Although I would have sex with that hot alien chick on the new Battlestar Gallactica.)

I am in the entertainment industry and since moving to L.A., I have met hundreds of gay guys and I have to tell you all a secret… “Shhhh… they are people EXACTLY like you and me except they happen to like other dudes.” I know that seems weird to you. It did to me too when I first moved out here, but since then I have observed them and taken notes and this is what I have found:

OBSERVATION OF THE GAYS:

1) They have feelings just like you and me. They experience love, hate, jealousy, disappointment and elation.
2) Some of them actually have more successful relationships than we do. Imagine that. Two people in a relationship that actually works. What would you give for that? I’ve looked up to the sky and offered God ANYTHING for a successful relationship. I’m still waiting and I envy ANYONE that can make that work.
3) Gays are PEOPLE. They are entitled to the same things all other people are: the right to vote, the right to free speech and should be afforded the right to marry one another. It’s simply a matter of equality.
4) Gays are generally clean. This has nothing to do with anything, but I wanted to share ALL of the data with you.

My best friend is an amazing singer and one late night, we were hanging out with a few friends and he sang, “Loch Lomond” (look it up). When he was finished, without even thinking about it, I said, “One day, I want you to sing that at my wedding.” He was honored.

And then I started thinking about what honor I could bestow upon him to reciprocate. And it hit me that I may never be able to do something like that for him if Prop 8 passes tomorrow.

I’ve seen him these last two weeks in the throws of a budding relationship and it has been a real education for me. I’m not used to being this tight with a buddy who also happens to be gay and I have to say there are still things that open my eyes.

He’s in that beautiful, romantic phase of a new relationship where they want to spend every moment together. I’ve never seen him so happy. So inspired. And that makes me happy. Although it is still hard for me to understand how he can be physically attracted to another guy (we’re loud, sweaty and not that smart), what I do understand and appreciate are the feelings. And it is absolutely amazing to witness.

I hope he falls madly in love with this guy, they move in together and if they so choose, are allowed to marry one another in the eyes of the law and all of their “fabulous” party guests. If that happens, I’m sure I’ll cry. (I’m a sucker for weddings).

And in the meantime, I’m going to remain positive and think about what I can do for him at his wedding. It’s only fair. As it looks between the two of them now, I better start taking guitar lessons tonight.

So from one bro to another, I’d like to ask this favor: Please vote No on Prop 8.

Even if you don’t want to do it for the gay guys because you don’t know them, do it for me… a straight dude.

Because I really can’t stand having to owe anyone anything!

Thank you for reading this.

NO ON 8!

By: Stirling Gardner
Me@StirlingGardner.com

Thanks, Stirling.

And for all of us, Gay, Straight, Figuring it out... Don't forget to VOTE!!!

For more great reasons to vote, check out the blog post round-up project Colleen Mondor, Gregory K. and I are running: BLOG THE VOTE!

Namaste,

Lee

GSA MONDAY'S BLOG THE VOTE! Ethics, Lawn Signs, and Machievelli's Theory Put To The Test: "Do The Ends Justify The Means?"

After having her Obama lawn sign stolen,
Lisa Nowak made a new one,
and was kind enough to let me share this picture of it!

I recently heard a talk by Michael Josephson of the Josephson Institute Center For Youth Ethics. He shared some shocking statistics about American High School students from a recent survey his organization did of over 29,000 9th-12th graders. Here's the one that I want to focus on:

Do you agree with the following statement:

"A person has to cheat sometimes to succeed."

33% of High School Girls agreed.
48% of High School Boys agreed.

Are you as surprised by that as I am? But maybe I shouldn't be so shocked.


I have been inundated with emails and phone calls from friends and acquaintances about ethical lapses and dilemmas over the last few weeks leading up to tomorrow's election.

Lawn signs stolen or vandalized (on both sides of the political spectrum) or, in one case that I'm not sure about it being true or not, electrified to shock the thief!

Old people who are not going to get assistance voting because the neighbor who might have gone out of their way to help them get to the polls knows that they're going to vote the "wrong" way.

Lies told about different issues up for vote - in California, the list of lies regarding Proposition 8 (it will change the State Constitution to eliminate the right to marry for same-gender couples) is nearing legend. The latest lie: A mailing to millions of Democrats telling them Obama supports Prop 8, which is not true - he's against the Proposition, though he is not a supporter of same-gender marriage.

Voters receiving automated calls telling them that their polling place has been moved at the last minute, and to NOT go to their regular voting location. (An acquaintance received the call and had just driven past his regular polling place where they were setting up as usual!)

I sometimes feel bad when my family mocks me for being a "noble noodle."

And it doesn't seem as if those in power lose a lot of sleep over their ethical lapses... but should they? Should we "liberals" play their game, to guarantee a win this time, when it seems so much is at stake? Can we live with ourselves if we do?

Would that make us as bad as them?

Or is politics not so black and white?

We all have to draw our own lines - and realize that where we draw them influences our kids and Teens - they see our lines - they see us pulling up that lawn sign because we don't agree with it, or commenting on how much we disagree with it and leaving it be...

As for me, I'm taking my daughter with me and my for-now-legal husband to the polls first thing Tuesday morning. And voting.

Voting is the lesson I hope she learns from all this. How important a responsibility it is. And how wondrous a right.

And this noble noodle is keeping my fingers crossed for Tuesday. I won't be joining the dark side, or Voldemort, anytime soon.

What do you think?

For a whole bunch of other good blog entries by kid and adult lit bloggers about why it's so important to VOTE on November 4th, check out the master list for BLOG the VOTE here!

Namaste,

Lee

MASKS and THE TRUTH: "Trick or Treat?" Where Halloween and Politics collide!

I think this year it feels especially appropriate how Halloween and Election Day are so close together.

There's so much in politics about pretending...

After all, on Nov 4th we're going to figure out the successor to the Administration that brought us:

The Healthy Forests Initiative, which environmentalists have dubbed the "No Tree Left Behind" Act.

"Clean Water" and "Clean Air" policies which allowed MORE contaminants in our water supplies and air - like how they allowed power plants to be exempted from controlling their mercury pollution!

Minorities "represented" by appointed people of that minority who actually work AGAINST their group of origin (Condoleezza Rice is a good example - check out this argument here.)

and

moments like this:

"If we are saying that the loss of species in and of itself is inherently bad -- I don't think we know enough about how the world works to say that."

-Interior Department Assistant Secretary Craig Manson, appointed by President Bush to position overseeing the Endangered Species Act, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 12, 2003

Really, with politics in this state of masking the truth, who needs a Batman costume?

And with Sarah Palin, we have an anti-women's rights woman who may very well become the most powerful woman in America. And if McCain is elected and dies in office, Sarah Palin will become President of the United States of America. And that day will be no triumph for women. Or any of us.

So let's keep our Masks for Halloween. And let's get the truth back into politics.

Vote on November 4th.

And even though we always say "Trick or Treat!" Perhaps, as a country, we're ready for a future without these kinds of "Tricks."

What do you think?


Don't forget to BLOG the VOTE on Monday!

To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog on Monday Nov 3rd about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

Thanks to Sarah Stevenson for the "Blog The Vote" Graphic - feel free to grab it and use it on your own posts!!!

We hope you join in!

Namaste,

Lee

Prop 8A - WHAT IF WE AMENDED THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO ELIMINATE DIVORCE?

Okay, let's think about this:

The basis for most arguments against same-gender marriage and for Prop 8 (which would amend our California state constitution to eliminate marriage rights for Gay and Lesbian couples) boils down to:

The Bible doesn't approve of same-gender marriage.

Well, guess what?

The Bible doesn't approve of divorce. Or re-marriage after divorce.

What's missing from the arguments about Prop 8 is that we're not talking about religious groups being compelled to conduct religious weddings they don't agree with - this is about CIVIL marriage - our government's recognition of a couple's status as a family.

If the government is going to be involved in the institution of marriage at all (via recognition, licensing, and different financial and social rights and responsibilities for married people) it needs to do so without a religious filter.

The current law allowing Gay and Lesbian couples to marry in our State does not force or otherwise compel any Church or religious organization to recognize or perform same-gender marriages.

This is a clear case of religion overstepping its bounds by trying to impose religious beliefs against same-gender marriage into civil law.

Imagine if religion overstepped once again to impose its beliefs against divorce and subsequent remarriage into civil law. What if there was a referendum on the CIVIL legality of divorce and remarriage? What if we outlawed divorce?

It would seem that many religious conservatives have accepted divorce and remarriage - certainly there are many many examples of divorce from within their ranks. A recent Barna Study showed that:

Among married born again Christians, 35% have experienced a divorce. That figure is identical to the outcome among married adults who are not born again: 35%.

Multiple divorces are also unexpectedly common among born again Christians. Barna’s figures show that nearly one-quarter of the married born agains (23%) get divorced two or more times.

Why are these religious conservatives flexible in terms of allowing and accepting divorce, and have no flexibility in terms of allowing and accepting same-gender marriage?

The answer, I believe, is simple:

They don't want same-gender marriage for themselves.
But divorce? That works for them, thanks.

No matter what the Bible Says.

Interesting, isn't it?


Vote No on Prop 8.
Keep religious marriage and CIVIL marriage separate.

And if Prop 8 passes, watch out for Prop 8A - A referendum to amend our State Constitution to Eliminate Divorce.


The election is coming up on Tuesday - remember to join in and Blog The Vote!

To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog on Monday Nov 3rd about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

Thanks to Sarah Stevenson for the "Blog The Vote" Graphic - feel free to grab it and use it on your own posts!!!

We hope you join in!

Namaste,

Lee

What Happened To Lani Garver?

By Carol Plum-Ucci

Claire tries to hide what's different about her to fit in. It's hard, because she's back after missing a year of school when she was sick with Leukemia. And she has an eating disorder. And nightmares. But she hides all that and more from the cheerleaders and the brutal "fish frat" (sons of the local fishermen.)

But when Lani Garver arrives on Hackett Island, everyone's shocked. Is the new kid a girl? A boy? They can't figure Lani out, and while everyone else gears up to crucify Lani, Claire ends up becoming friends with the outcast.

And as Lani helps Claire pull her life together, Claire starts to wonder - Is it possible Lani's not a girl OR a boy, but maybe... an Angel?


Add your review of "What Happened to Lani Garver?" in comments!

BLOG the VOTE! Vote NO on Prop 8 - listen to Teenagers Who KNOW what's at stake!

These Teens and Young Adults say it better than maybe anyone else can:





Think about how you can help.

If you're not old enough to vote yourself, can you drive someone to the polls?

Can you help with some chores or tasks to get someone who otherwise might not have the time to be able to vote?

Can you have a good conversation with a family member or friend to share with them your feelings about the election and what's at stake -- and maybe convince them to vote the way you would?

Can you pass this video along to some friends, and help get the word out???


And if you want to blog about voting, join us with BLOG THE VOTE!

To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog on Monday Nov 3rd about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

Thanks to Sarah Stevenson for the "Blog The Vote" Graphic - feel free to grab it and use it on your own posts!!!

We hope you join in!

Namaste,

Lee

GSA Monday Topic: Just in Time For Halloween - MASKS!

So Halloween is all about Masks - about dressing up, pretending to be someone else. But what about the Masks we wear EVERY OTHER day of the year?

Who are we pretending to be?

Are we afraid that if we were just OURSELVES, people wouldn't like us anymore?

Can we find the courage to only wear Masks ONE day a year - on Halloween - and be our true, authentic selves the other 364 days?

Does dressing up on Halloween give us a chance to break free of the pressures to conform? Is there a lesson we can learn on this day of Masks, that can help us be truer to ourselves and live without Masks the rest of the year?

What do you think? And who are YOU going to dress up as?

Discuss it with your GSA - or join in the community at your Gay-Straight Alliance right here, and talk about it in comments!



Have a great Halloween!

Namaste,
Lee

ps- The mask pictured above was made by JF in Australia! Click here to go to JF's blog and check it out.

Love Rules

By Marilyn Reynolds

Lynn's best friend Kit comes back from summer vacation and comes out as a Lesbian.

Lynn struggles at first with understanding and accepting her friend, but ends up being supportive as Kit starts a Gay Straight Alliance.

But Hamilton High School isn't a friendly place for GLBTQ teens, or for anyone different: Lynn is dating a Black athlete and she's getting a lot of flack for that as well.

As the homophobia and racism escalate, the two friends have to fight to make it through Senior Year.


"Love Rules" is the 8th book in the "True-to-Life Series from Hamilton High."

Add your review of "Love Rules" in comments!

Is He Or Isn't He?

By John Hall

Best friends Anthony and Paige are seniors at a wealthy private High School in New York City.

Anthony's gay, and recently single.

Paige just can't seem to find a nice guy.

When hottie new student Max enters their lives, the best friends have to use all their wiles to figure out...

Is He Or Isn't He?

Because whoever's team Max plays for, that's whose going to go after him!



Add your review of "Is He Or Isn't He?" in comments!

Big Guy

By Robin Stevenson

On-line, you can lie about your weight. You can lie about your age.

But what happens when your heart gets caught in your lies?

Derek's on-line boyfriend Ethan doesn't know that the photo Derek sent him was kind of old. Like 80 pounds lighter old!

And at Derek's job at a nursing home (where he lied about his experience and age - he's only 17) there's this woman Aaliyah who is trouble - and she forces Derek to rethink everything he thought he knew about honesty and trust.

Now Ethan wants to meet Derek in person. What's the "Big Guy" gonna do?


Add your review of "Big Guy" in comments!

BLOG THE VOTE! Prop. 8 - California's Anti-Same-Gender (Same-Sex) Marriage Voter Referendum

Prop 8 is wrong. The idea that a majority vote can change the state constitution to take away rights from a minority is wrong. The idea that my gay marriage hurts anyone else's straight marriage is wrong. The lies the "Yes on Prop 8" campaign are using in their advertising (that churches will lose their tax-exempt status if they don't perform same-gender marriage, and that it will force elementary schools to teach children about - shudder - gay marriage as one version of marriage) are wrong.

But, as much as I could soapbox about how wrong this is, sometimes humor is the best way to get a point across.

So watch this really funny video:



Yeah. Funny/Scary, isn't it?

Like a lot of things on the political horizon - if we don't vote, think about what could happen to our State, our Country, our World...


So VOTE!

Namaste,
Lee

To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

Thanks to Sarah Stevenson for the "Blog The Vote" Graphic - feel free to grab it and use it on your own posts!!!

We hope you join in!

GSA Monday Topic: Speaking Lies To Truth - Obama & Prop 8 - Where does the TRUTH fit in with our Political Process in the USA?

“Obama is palling around with Terrorists.”
-a lie by Palin

“Churches will lose their non-profit tax status
if they don’t marry Gay couples.”
-a lie in “Yes on Prop 8” ads

This week, try teaming up with the Black Student Alliance (if there is such a thing at your school) and/or other students and have everyone join in the discussion of where exactly the TRUTH ends up in our political system...

Also check out this very cool website "Lie Count" that tracks politicans' lies... You can read all about the lies going on - on both sides. Though Republicans are winning (or losing) with more than double the verified lies than Democrats - 25 to 12!

Does the truth even matter anymore?

Or is it just about which side has the most money to advertise their lies?

What about lies that hide the truth of people's discrimination against blacks and gays?

What do you think?

Jump into the discussion with your Gay-Straight Alliance, or be part of our community Gay-Straight Alliance here, and chime in with your own comment!

BLOG THE VOTE! Another Reason To Vote: PROP 8 in California - A Majority Vote On Adding Discrimination Into the CA Constitution

I feel like I could write a really long post about the unfairness of the majority "approval" vote coming up in California to take away same-gender couples' right to marry. (To take away MY marriage's legal status.) But this video says it better (and funnier) than I can.

Check it out:



Oh, and VOTE!


To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

We hope you join in!

Namaste,

Lee

Out Of Order

by Robin Stevenson

Moving to a new town and starting 10th grade in a new school seems like a perfect chance for Sophie to re-invent herself, and leave her troubles (like being bullied and not liking her body) behind.

She makes friends with Zelia, a smoking, busking rebel who takes Sophie out of her comfort zone.

Then Sophie becomes friends with Max, a girl who seems the opposite of Zelia, but Max pushes Sophie's buttons in a different way.

Ultimately, Sophie realizes that just because she's moved to a new place, she, and her problems, are still with her. And she has to deal with the biggest challenge of all - accepting herself for who she is!

It's fun to note that this was Robin's debut novel!

Add your review of "Out Of Order" in comments!

Levi Johnston is Sarah Palin's Daughter's Baby's Daddy. But More Important Than That: He's 19 and NOT Registered to VOTE!

The young couple.

Highlights from this week's AP interview with Levi Johnston [click here for the full interview]:

Levi likes to hunt (bears, sheep, elk, and caribou.) No mention of moose.

He's dated Bristol since they were Freshmen in High School. Says they had talked about getting married long before the surprise.

Their baby is due December 18 - he'd like a boy so he could take him fishing and hunting.

He just dropped out of High school (skipping his senior year and not graduating) to become an apprentice electrician.

Barack Obama"seems like a good guy."

He can't vote because he didn't register.

He still hopes his future mother-in-law wins.

What?

How in the world can that be possible?

How could you not CARE enough about this election to register to vote, when YOU ARE INVOLVED - HECK, A MEMBER, of one of the 4 families running to lead this country????


My intent here is not to shame Levi, but really - what is up with this? How could he not WANT to vote???

Is voting not private enough in Wasilla, Alaska? Is he afraid the Palins would find out if he voted for Obama? Is it just easier to pretend to be a "disaffected" Teen and act like he doesn't care?

How can't he care?

The A.P. article quotes him:

"I just hope she wins," he said. "She's my future mother-in-law. She better win."

But really - if he did hope that, why wouldn't he want to VOTE?

Hoping someone wins is not a PLAN to help them win. Only VOTES get counted - not thoughts, or wishes, or good intentions.

For all of our sakes - let's all register and VOTE.

Because I really can't believe there are Teenagers (or anyone out there for that matter) who know and understand what's at stake and still don't care what happens.

I care.

I know YOU care.

So register right now, if you haven't yet.

And VOTE!!!


To get involved with "Blog The Vote" - where kid and adult lit bloggers blog about WHY it's so important to Vote on Nov 4, 2008, send an email with a url for your blog post to one of the three of us:

me leewind(at)roadrunner(dot)com

Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com

Gregory K. over at Gotta Book blogthevote(at)gmail(dot)com

Colleen will be compiling a master list of posts - we'll pull a great quote from each one of your posts and add it with a link to the list.

Make sure you keep it nice - this is not the place for partisan mean-ness. (Anyone overstepping that guideline will not be included.)

Also, at the bottom of YOUR post, please include a link back to the master list over at chasingray (Colleen will have the master list up on Sunday, Nov 2, so it'll be easy to find.)

We hope you join in!

Namaste,

Lee